Charlottesville trial: Suspect who drove his car into a crowd convicted

1 month ago

The suspect who allegedly drove his car into a protesters' crowd in Virginia was convicted of first-degree murder for the killing of 32-year-old Heather Heyer.

James Alex Fields Jr. , 21, was also convicted of eight other charges, including aggravated malicious wounding and hit and run.

Fields had traveled to Virginia from Ohio to support the white nationalists. He allegedly stopped his car, backed up and then sped into the crowd of counterprotesters killing Heather and seriously wounding others.

Prosecutors said that Fields was angry after witnessing violent clashes between the two sides, and was well known for idolizing Adolf Hitler. But his lawyers told the jury he acted in self-defence and was sobbing when told about victims.